4 Israeli #hostages have been #rescued alive from #Gaza, the Israeli military said Sat. #Israel’s forces rescued Noa Argamani, 26; Almog Meir Jan, 22; Andrey Kozlov, 27; & Shlomi Ziv, 41, from 2 locations in #Nuseirat in central Gaza, the #IDF said in a stmnt. ≥125 people were #killed in the operation.
All “are in good medical condition” & have been transferred to a hospital for further medical examinations, the IDF said.
President Isaac #Herzog & PM Benjamin #Netanyahu spoke to #freed hostage #NoaArgamani after her rescue.
Video shared by a fmr spox for PM, showed the phone call between Argamani & Herzog.
Israel’s Seizure of #Gaza Border Zone Strains Ties With Egypt
Israel defied ominous Egyptian warnings & took control of the #PhiladelphiCorridor, but the reaction from #Egypt, which wants to maintain its #security cooperation with #Israel, has been muted.
The #IDF said another 4 #Israeli hostages abducted by #Hamas on #Oct7 had died in captivity & that their bodies are being held by the #Palestinian Islamist group.
The 4 were identified as Chaim Peri, 80, Yoram Metzger, 80, Amiram Cooper, 84, & Nadav Popplewell, 51.
All 4 were filmed alive in hostage videos posted by #Hamas.
“We are thoroughly examining the circumstances of their deaths & checking all possibilities. We will present soon the findings, first to their families, & then to the public," he said. "We will present them w/transparency, as we have done until now."
Of the >250 people abducted on Oct. 7, about 120 remain in #Gaza, acc/to Israeli tallies. Many have been declared dead by Israeli authorities.
Israeli war cabinet minister #BennyGantz's #centrist party has proposed holding a vote to dissolve #parliament in a bid to bring about an early #election, his party said in a statement on Thurs.
The Israeli military has lifted a ban on the sale of food to Gaza from Israel & the occupied #WestBank as its battlefield offensive chokes international aid, acc/to #Palestinian officials, businessmen (sic) & international aid workers.
After a sobering trip to #Kyiv, Secy of State Antony J. #Blinken is urging #POTUS#Biden to lift some restrictions on how Ukraine can use American arms.
The Spanish, Irish & Norwegian govts announced Wed that they would recognize a #Palestinian state, saying there would be no #peace in the #MiddleEast w/o it.
Israel denounced the move as giving aid to its enemy #Hamas.
The coordinated announcements are purely symbolic — but not w/o some power.
In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz ordered the immediate recall of the Israeli ambassadors to #Spain, #Ireland & #Norway. “I am sending a clear message today: #Israel will not be complacent against those who undermine its sovereignty & endanger its #security.”
The #UnitedStates govt reiterated its position that recognizing a #PalestinianState was premature & must be the result of direct negotiations between Israel & the #Palestinians.
The leaders of the 3 countries said they hoped their recognition would press #Israel, the #Palestinians & the international community toward a #TwoStateSolution to the conflict.
“In the midst of a #war, w/tens of thousands killed & injured, we must keep alive the only alternative that offers a political solution for Israelis & Palestinians alike: Two states, living side by side, in #peace & #security,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said.
But the question is where will the Palestinians go?
Palestinians have begun leaving parts of eastern Rafah in Gaza after Israel urged 100,000 people to move towards an expanded "humanitarian zone".
The evacuation comes ahead of an expected offensive on the city, where more than 1.4 million people are sheltering.
The #Biden admin has concluded it is “reasonable to assess” that #Israel’s military campaign in #Gaza has violated #InternationalLaw, but has not found specific instances that would justify the withholding of #military aid, #State Dept told #Congress Fri.
The report said that conclusion was based in part on the difficulty of collecting reliable information from the #war zone & the way #Hamas operates in densely populated areas. It also stressed that #Israel has begun the process of seeking accountability for possible violations of the #law, a key component in the #UnitedStates assessment about whether to provide #military aid to allies accused of #HumanRights violations.
The #Biden admin paused the shipment of thousands of weapons to #Israel, including controversial 2k-pound bombs, amid mounting concern about the country’s plan to expand a military operation in southern #Gaza that could dramatically increase the conflict’s death toll, U.S. ofcls said Tues.
…powerful pro-Israel interest groups including the American Israel Public Affairs Cmte… is spending tens of millions …this #election cycle to unseat #Democrats it views as insufficiently pro- #Israel.
#Republicans assailed news of a delay in #weapons approvals as a “reprehensible” betrayal. “The #UnitedStates must stand with Israel. Period,” said Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC).
>IDF Warns More Than 100,000 People in #Rafah to Evacuate
#Israel wants to “move people out of harm’s way,” a military official said, a sign that it may be inching closer to invading the Gazan city in defiance of international pressure
The announcement came hours after #POTUS had a tense phone call w/PM #Netanyahu during which Biden threatened to condition future support for Israel depending on how it addresses his concerns about #CivilianCasualties & the #HumanitarianCrisis in Gaza.
The dire situation in San Diego County is part of a broken system in which border enforcement funding is prioritized above building necessary infrastructure to humanely process a historic number of asylum seekers #Border#HumanitarianCrisis#Asylum
Tens of thousands of #Israelis thronged central #Jerusalem on Sunday in the largest anti-government #protest since the country went to #war in Oct. Protesters urged the govt to reach a #CeaseFire deal to free dozens of #hostages held in #Gaza by #Hamas militants & to hold early #elections.
During #Biden’s speech on #healthcare yesterday he was interrupted by protesters advocating for #Palestinians in #Gaza. Instead of ignoring them & moving on, #POTUS responded, “They have a point; we need to get more care into Gaza.” He added, “Everybody deserves healthcare.”
Remarks by #Gallant & #LloydAustin before the meeting underscored the divide. While both noted their countries’ commitment to #Israel’s #security, Gallant emphasized what he said was the urgent need to destroy #Hamas, secure the release of Israeli #hostages & “ensure Israel’s military edge & capabilities.”
#LloydAustin focused on the dire consequences the #war has had for #Palestinian#civilians. “The number of civilian casualties is far too high, & the amount of #HumanitarianAid is far too low,” he said. The safety of #Palestinians in #Rafah, where >1 million people are holed up, was a “top priority,” he added.